While physicians prescribe medications for patients, pharmacists have responsibility for preparing the medication for delivery to the patient. Once the pharmacist has prepared the medication it may be administered by a medical professional such as a doctor or a nurse.
In hospitals and other medical facilities one or more pharmacy operations are responsible for reviewing the orders by physicians for medications to be given to patients. The pharmacists then prepare or otherwise make the medication available for administration to the patient. Such requirements can present considerable challenges for pharmacists. There can be difficulties associated with making sure that physician orders, which may include prescriptions for drug medications, are proper. Further, physician orders may need to be retained so that they can be recovered in the event of future questions or a need to further analyze the patient's condition. Thus, there exists a need for improved pharmacy systems and methods for handling physician medical orders.